FLAT ROCK: US citizens are facing steep increases in home insurance premiums as climate-related disasters become more frequent across the United States, including in regions once considered relatively safe. Tony Dunn, 69, moved from California to the mountains of North Carolina after losing his home in the deadly 2018 Camp Fire wildfire. But six years later, Hurricane Helene devastated his new community, pushing his homeowners&rsquo; insurance premium up nearly 30 percent to about $4,400 annually. &ldquo;It was a bit of a shock when we got the insurance bill last year,&rdquo; Dunn told AFP. Despite the rising costs, Dunn says going without insurance is not an option after insurance payouts helped him and his wife rebuild after the California wildfire. Increasing insurance costs Experts say insurance costs are climbing not only in coastal states such as Florida, but also across inland regions increasingly exposed to flooding, hailstorms, and extreme weather. In Henderson County, North Carolina, average homeowners&rsquo; insurance costs rose 86 percent between 2018 and 2024, according to researchers Benjamin Keys and Philip Mulder. Nationwide, premiums increased 58% over the same period. Scientists say climate change is intensifying hurricanes and other extreme weather events. A 2024 study by the World Weather Attribution network found that climate change worsened conditions linked to Hurricane Helene. North Carolina resident Dee Dee Buckner, whose home was destroyed in flooding caused by Helene, said rising insurance costs are becoming difficult to manage. &ldquo;If they go up any higher, I can&rsquo;t,&rdquo; she said. Buckner said she now carries only a limited homeowners&rsquo; insurance policy, while her flood insurance costs have risen to more than $1,700 annually. Most standard US homeowners&rsquo; insurance policies do not cover flood damage, requiring separate flood insurance coverage. Researchers say insurers are also facing higher reinsurance costs as climate risks grow, contributing to rising premiums for homeowners. Economist Sarah Dickerson of the Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise said climate-related losses are no longer confined to traditionally high-risk areas. &ldquo;Climate-related losses are impacting all parts of the state,&rdquo; she said.

Climate

Rising climate-related disasters across the United States are driving a sharp increase in homeowners’ insurance costs, leaving many families underinsured and struggling financially as extreme weather affects both coastal and inland regions.

Climate disasters drive sharp rise in US home insurance costs

HANOI: Lingering heavy rains from a former typhoon caused more flooding and landslides in Vietnam, raising the death toll to 19 in the country, with more missing. Rainfall topped 30 centimetres (nearly a foot) in parts of Vietnam over the past 24 hours, the national weather agency said on Tuesday. It warned that heavy downpours would continue. The prolonged rain triggered flash floods and landslides that cut off roads and isolated communities from the northern mountains of Son La and Lao Cai provinces to central Nghe An province. Rivers swollen by downpours and dam discharges have caused widespread flooding and landslides in the north. The Thao River in Yen Bai rose well above emergency levels overnight, sending water up to a meter deep (3 feet) into homes and forcing evacuations. Many streets in the capital, Hanoi, were flooded, and authorities warned that people close to the Red River, which passes through the city, should take precautions. State media said Tuesday that authorities were still searching for 13 missing people, including eight fishermen. Bualoi had already caused at least 20 deaths in the Philippines since Friday. It made landfall in Vietnam early Monday, then lingered, which increased the danger. Global warming is making storms like these stronger and wetter, according to experts, since warmer oceans provide tropical storms with more fuel, driving more intense winds, heavier rainfall and shifting precipitation patterns across East Asia.

Natural Disaster

Heavy rains from former Typhoon Bualoi caused severe flooding and landslides across Vietnam, raising the death toll to 19, with 13 still missing. Authorities warn of continued downpours and rising river levels.

Articles tagged with "Natural Disaster"

Climate disasters drive sharp rise in US home insurance costs

Typhoon Bualoi aftermath: flooding and landslides kill 19 in Vietnam